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Sunday, July 1, 2012

Once there is a small amount of froth, turn off the heat and leave to cool.

Add the yoghurt culture/starter to the cooled milk.

Now transfer to a container of bowl that you want to keep the yoghurt in, cover with a lid, and wrap with a tea towel, leave in a dry warm place. ( I usually put it into the oven, switched off of course!!)

Store there no less than 6 hours, but no more than 10 hours

The less time you leave it the sweeter it will be.

I usually do it before I go to bed, so I have fresh home-made yoghurt for breakfast!

Friday, June 22, 2012

There are many variations of Kibbeh from Iraq, Egypt, Palestine to Iran. But the most common feature is a type of rice or wheat processed into a dough, with a mince meat, usually lamb or beef for the filling. It can be eaten as a starter, main, or a snack in the middle of the night!

Two Cups Bulgar Wheat

Four Cups Water (Give or Take)

Handful of Sultanas

Handful of Parsley

One Onion

Cumin Tumeric

Kibbeh Spice

300g Lamb Mince Meat

Firstly, measure out two cups of Bulgar wheat and add four cups of warm water, add the Kibba Spice (or replace with mixed spice or seven spices)

Cover with cling film and leave for 30mins. Place into a food processor until has formed into a maluable dough like texture.

For the filling add the lamb to a medium sized pan, cook until brown, add the chopped onions, sultanas and add the parsley at the very last moment.

Add the Cumin, Tumeric and Ki bbeh Spice.

The Kibbeh Spice is not a necessity, you can replace it with 'mixed spice/7 spices'.

Now you are ready to make the Kibbeh!

Have some warm water to dampen your hands with on the side.

Starting with a small egg sized ball of the wheat and flatten between your hands as shown below.

Add a small amount of the filling into the centre and roll into a oblong, or a ball shape.

Heat up a deep pan of oil, roughly coming up to half of the size of the Kibbe!

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

A traditionally middle-eastern sweet. Usually served with tea after dinner. There are many variations to this sweet from morocco through to Iraq.
Here I have made it Iraqi style with sugared walnuts.

Two and a half cups plain flour

Three teaspoons Fast Action Dried Yeast

One teaspoon salt

Half Cup Oil

Natural Yoghurt

Half Cup Warm water

One egg white

For The Filling:

Walnuts

Sugar

Cardamom

To start with, measure out two and a half cups plain flour, add the salt and yeast and sieve into a mixing bowl.

Separate the egg whites from the yolk. Set the yolk aside for later and stir the egg whites into the flour mix.

Then add half a cup of oil (I have used sunflower, but again vegetable or olive oil are fine!)

Mix half a cup of water with a small amount of natural yoghurt and stir in, this helps the pastry tenderize.

Continue to mix until all ingredients are blended together.

Once the pastry is easily malleable cover with cling film, then a tea towel and keep in a warm place for 1-3 hours depending on how much time you have.

While you wait prepare the filling.

Walnuts and Sugar.

Next add the Cardomom. You can make life easy for yourself and use ground Cardomom, the hard work already done for you, but I find by grinding it myself with a pestle and mortar I get a much better flavour, taste and smell!!

Remove the outer shell and with the walnuts and sugar, use the pestle and mortar again to grind the mixture.

You are now ready to make the pastries!

Here I have used the tools specifically for making Klecha, but there is no wrong in using your hands. To be honest, it actually comes out better when you do so anyway. You are able to make and mould it yourself.

Place the walnut mixture into the centre of the pastry and wrap up into any shape desire. You can even

have some plain empty ones!!

Now using the egg yolk from earlier, glaze the tops of all the Klecha.

Place into a pre-heated oven at 180 for 8-10mins keeping a close eye on them!

To start, Mix the Sugar and Butter until nice and fluffy.
Add the 2 eggs and continue to whisk!

Mix some instant coffee with two tablespoons of water, or however strong you want the coffee flavour to be.
I used the amount in the picture below, enough to give it flavour, but not so much that the coffee overtakes!

Then add the vanilla, coffee, flour and baking powder and slowly mix together.

Put aside.
Using greaseproof paper, cut out the shape of the bottom of the tin that you are using, here I am using a ring shaped cake tin. Place at the bottom and generously put honey or golden syrup over the bottom.